Firecracker traders here are not too worried about the Supreme Court order. Kerala, in fact, may be the only State where the order would be followed, as many of the things mentioned in it are already being observed, they say.
The order is essentially aimed at curbing pollution in Delhi, they say, pointing out the mention of green firecrackers. “Coastal Kerala is a far cry from Delhi, and the scale of the festivities here, and even in other parts of the country, is very different from that in Delhi and north India,” says Santhosh Kumar of Sree Ayyappas Fireworks in Neyyattinkara.
Pollution
As far as pollution is concerned, parents and children too do not like to go in for very loud firecrackers, preferring ones that look colourful and fancy. Even temples and churches do not want eardrum-splitting firecrackers. “The uncertainty ahead of the Supreme Court order has resulted in fewer new and really explosive products being rolled out by the firecracker manufacturers this past year,” says G.T. Ajith Kumar of Sneha crackers near Thakaraparambu.
Traders also say they don’t stock explosives that are made with pollution-causing chemicals such as barium salts or more than the prescribed limits of nitrates or those that are too loud. This, they hope, would prevent any dip in sales for this Deepavali. “Firecrackers are largely sold through temporary licences for Deepavali, and after the licence expiry, these cannot be stored. So, what are they do to if not sell them.” Festivals and occasions that lie ahead such as the Thrissur Pooram may feel the impact though as curbs on manufacture come into effect.
Composition of fireworks
The traders, however, accept that they really have no way of knowing the composition of the firecrackers unless these are tested, which again takes time. Mr. Santhosh also wonders how a monitoring mechanism for firecrackers would be ensured.
How the narrow window of time allowed by the court for bursting of crackers will play out remains to be seen, especially against the backdrop of differences in how festivities are observed across the country. There needs to be more clarification about this, says Mr. Ajith Kumar of Sneha crackers, adding that review petitions were likely.
The wholesalers and retailers say they did not anticipate any blanket ban on firecracker sale by the apex court, through restrictions were bound to be imposed. Religious traditions, huge turnover of the firecracker industry, and the livelihood of those employed in the industry were significant aspects that could not be ignored by the court, they say.
Vandana U., a homemaker and mother of two, says though they burst a few firecrackers each year to fulfil the children’s wishes, this year they decided against bursting any in the name of the court order. Monitoring the order, though, may not be possible. There is uncertainty about the fate of festivals such as Vishu where firecrackers are burst in the morning, she feels.